Hanasaku Iroha – 17: Be a man, do the right thing!

I mean, if it was successful, we’d have another two episodes dedicated to Enishi and Takako. That’s two more than what Yuina gets. That’ll be BLASPHEMOUS.

The telltale signs were all there: the ominous ringing last episode, which was revealed to be a call from Satsuki, warning Okami-san about how fishy the entire project sounds.

Obviously we can’t be having a long drawn-out arc on two minor characters, so despite wishing that Kissuisho’s business booms from the completion of a successful movie, it was a recipe for disaster.

As the writer of Moe Sucks points out in a perceptive fashion, the window frame that dissects this scene shows the two-faced nature of the director.

If I may add, Enishi and Takako are looking at this project through rose-tinted glasses, seeing only the positives of it, unable to fathom the ulterior motive of the shades-wearing director.

The eyes are the window to the soul, so by obscuring them with shades, he also masks his true intentions.

With the money in his hands, the director doesn’t even bother to properly acknowledge Enishi’s sending off, preferring to answer a call.

Take a step back, and you begin to see that these little subtleties are woven very nicely into the story.

There’s no need to show a scene of the director cackling to himself over the successful scam; minor dismissive gestures provide enough clues to the viewers that something is amiss.

However, these painful lessons are just what Enishi needs to be able to finally fly away from the nest.

Kind words from his sister may provide the temporary consolation that he needs, but through this he is able to stand on his own two feet.

It is quite a pity that he gains this only in his late thirties, which is quite late for a person to ‘wake up’.

Even in little scenes like this, Enishi is perpetually the one that needs saving. And he’s undecided whether he wants to be saved, or to take the plunge.

I think it’s very hard for a straightforward person to deal with a person that is mentally weak. Takako is strong and demanding, while Enishi is always afraid to make decisions.

While Takako is not always correct, she does do a good job of dragging Enishi along to get things done.

And her constant pandering over Enishi must mean something more than just being old college classmates.

For her to stay that long with Enishi over the years, perhaps she does have a thing for him that supersedes pitying his cowardly plight.

So maybe the purpose of this arc was to cement the relationship between these two.

What I do like is the speed at which the Kissuisho staff returned to their normal routines. They aren’t overwhelmed by the shock of the movie scam.

It’s probably the best reaction to show to the patrons of the inn. The last thing they want would be to throw off the patrons with chaotic behaviour.

Ever the one to maintain her stoic composure, Okami-san is not in the least fazed by the incident.

In fact, she feels that this harsh lesson would whip Enishi into shape to finally take over the reins.

Naturally, Satsuki would’ve been the better option, but Enishi was unyielding in taking the blame for Takako.

Okami-san probably felt that Enishi would be a suitable candidate to take over the inn as he would be willing to display the same kind of fervour protecting Takako to protect the inn.

Arguably, this is one of the weaker arcs, as it featured two characters that weren’t very striking or likable to begin with. But it did delve deeper into the relationship dynamics within the Shijima family, giving us greater insight into the ways Okami-san moulds the character of her children. Thankfully, this didn’t drag out as we’ve yet to see development on Nako and the relationship between Kou and Igarashi.